In a move that would seem to suggest the complete opposite, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (47-1-1, 33KOs) has issued an official statement to the press that while he has no “fear” of any man, he will be vacating his WBC title, effectively refusing in theory to fight any mandatory opponent that the WBC would require him to battle in order to keep his title belt.
Before this decision, much had been made of the fact that in order to maintain his WBC belt, Canelo Alvarez would finally have to face his undefeated mandatory opponent Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (35-0, 32KOs), who has been chasing a fight for the WBC belt since Sergio Gabriel Martinez (51-3-2, 28KOs) first won it against Kelly Pavlik (40-2, 34KOs) in April 2010.
Despite this decision, Alvarez still claims that he is eager to fight GGG.
“I instructed my team at Golden Promotions to continue negotiating a fight with Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and to finalize a deal as quickly as possible,” stated Alvarez, continuing,”for the entriety of my fight career, I have taken the fights that no one wanted because I fear no man. Never has that been more true than today. I will fight “GGG,” anf I will beat “GGG”but I will not be forced into the ring by artificial deadlines.”
Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya was quick to second his fighter’s sentiment when it came to deadlines and their wish to remain unfettered by them.
“There is no denying that Canelo is the biggest star in the sport of boxing. (Canelo) is eager to get in the ring with “GGG” to show the world that he is also the best pound for pound fighter in the sport, but we won’t negotiate under a forced deadline.”
Sound logic possibly, with the exception that “eager” people don’t tend to have any issues with deadlines.
However, as AllHipHop.com was told by HBO’s Roy Jones Jr. less than a month ago, perhaps it’s a certain senator from the Philippines, aka the honorable Manny Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38KOs) whom Canelo is looking to nudge out of retirement for equal risk but bigger money before signing on the dotted line when it comes to the likes of Golovkin.
While Pacquiao has been quite adamant that he is out of boxing for the time being, his coach Freddie Roach, and his fight promoter Bob Arum have been quite emphatic in their beliefs that boxing fans could see a return from the Filipino politician.
“Yes, Manny ended his career,” stated Roach in speaking with the press shortly after Pacquiao’s final fight against Timothy Bradley, adding, “but personally I can say that it is very difficult to finish a career in boxing, because this sport simply draws you back in.”